All Around India: Chhattisgarh

The next place our Sunday School teacher took us to is Chhattisgarh! Chhattisgarh is hard to spell! It’s also one of the newer states in India. Up until the year 2000, it was part of Madhya Pradesh.

Chhattisgarh has lots of beautiful forests and trees. The timber from the trees, especially the teak and the sal, provide income for some of the people. There is also a lot of bamboo that grows in Chhattisgarh, and people use it to make all kinds of things like furniture, things to cook with, beautiful baskets, and tools for farming.

There are national parks in Chhattisgarh to protect some of the exotic animals that live there—including tigers. And, there are lots of valuable minerals that people mine there that can provide income, such as copper, coal, iron, and even diamonds.

Chhattisgarh is also home to many Ganda (or Gond) people, who are part of the Dalits. Do you remember the last time our teacher told us about the Dalits? She told us that many of the people of India look down on the Dalits. They treat their animals better than they treat Dalits. It is also dangerous for a Ganda to accept Jesus as their Savior. Do you remember the story she told us about what life is like for Ganda people who choose to believe in Jesus?

I’m going to pray that all of the people of India would understand that people, including the Dalits, are more valuable than any animal, mineral, or resource. Will you pray with me?

“Dear God, please help the people of Chhattisgarh and all over India to understand that every single person is so valuable to You that You would rather die than live without them. Help them hear how Jesus came to Earth to pay for the mistakes we make and how He was stronger than death and came back to life. Help each person to know how much You love them and trust in You for the life that never ends. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”